AIRLINK has given notice on
its franchise agreement with
SAA which will see the airline
operate under its own 4Z flight
code from June 11.
Airlink’s franchise agreement
will been replaced by a new
commercial arrangement
with SAA from June 11. The
transition has already been
implemented with Airlink flights
(which reflected with SA8 flight
designators under the franchise
agreement) now reflecting
in the GDS under the 4Z
designator after June 10.
This decision represented
an important milestone in
extending the commercial
reach of Airlink in its own right,
said the airline
in a statement. It
added that the new
code would allow
Airlink to develop
more routes and
frequencies on an
independent basis
and to establish
new agreements
with leading
international
airlines.
Ceo and md of
Airlink, Rodger
Foster, told TNW
that the airline had been
working on a strategy to
become less dependent on
SAA for the last four to five
years. He admitted that Airlink
had been substantially affected
by the present
uncertainty
regarding SAA
and that the
introduction
of a separate
code would
protect Airlink
in the current
circumstances,
while also allowing
it to continue a
partnership with
SAA.
“We have a
responsibility
to take action to preserve
Airlink’s viability as a
financially robust, independent
and privately owned airline.
However SAA remains an
important strategic pillar in
Airlink’s strategy and our
relationship with SAA, which
goes back 23 years to 1997,
has not been severed.”
He said if anything were to
happen to SAA in the next six
months, Airlink would activate
the decision sooner – or
immediately – if necessary,
but that he understood,
from the business rescue
practitioners, that there was a
good chance that SAA would
emerge as a stronger and
leaner organisation that Airlink
could continue to work with.
“We believe that the
trade and our customers
understand that Airlink is
a financially sound airline
removed from the SAA
situation. We have been
delighted with the support
we have received, and
the huge acceleration in
forward bookings, since the
introduction of our flights
under the 4Z code after June
10,” said Rodger.
Tickets already issued for
travel on flights with SA8
flight numbers from June 1
will remain valid for travel
subject to re-accommodation
by Airlink.
Customers holding SAA
083 tickets for flights after
June 10, who do not want
to be re-accommodated may
apply to SAA, or through other
channels, for a refund. SAA
refunds will be managed in
line with business rescue
policies.
